We won't cower, Dutton says of deportation

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says the government won't be cowered into making changes to a controversial deportation policy as it tries to restore order to its detention centre on Christmas Island.

His department is attempting to make contact with detainees inside the centre amid reports of rioting.

Staff have been withdrawn from the centre and security guards are patrolling outside the centre's perimeter.

A group of detainees, believed to be non-citizens whose visas have been cancelled, continues to agitate and cause damage to the facility, the department said.

But there was no large-scale riot as claimed by some refugee advocates and on social media.

Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg said opportunists had used the situation to foment unrest.